[FREE] escape reality

Have you ever wished you could escape from reality for a while? If things could be better than how they are now at least for awhile? Maybe not have the perfect life, but just be free and do what you want. In a way this can seem selfish because compared to other people’s lives we have it nice. We are able to get a good education, have a home, and well, get the necessities in order to survive. But even if we could just escape and relocate for a little bit can seem nice at times.

You can say I can sometimes overreact on some situations or over think some. But some days I feel lost. Like I really don’t belong here. I know this can sound childish, but some can be very selfish, and not try and understand where someone else is coming from. And at times, moving away and starting fresh seems like the best solution. We don’t have the unity in the world because selfishness comes into play. We can feel down and sad, but many times people will compare you to someone else. In some situations this is the right thing to do, but in some cases, we have problems where we just need a hand. Someone to be there for us to lean on. 

I guess we all have new chapters in our lives, where we move on and overcome an obstacle. Most of us find that friend that you can turn to for anything and will listen to all your problems that you have, even if they are the littlest things. But we can all can get caught in the moment and get stuck on something that we know we can move on from. But that is the time where we want to get away and be alone, or run away with a friend for awhile. To live our lives out loud so we can paint our own reality. Not paint our dreams or nightmares, but start fresh and new. To just escape from our own reality.  

[RE] "secret" handshakes

Walking along the hallways of school and it will be almost impossible to not see two, or more, close friends performing some kind of secret handshake with one another. This spiked my curiosity. What goes on between these two people to make them want a secret bond between the two of them that no one else knows.

It is interesting that Adam brings this point up. My friend and I were just talking about making up a handshake every time we see each other. I agree and disagree with what he has to say in this post. Yes, friends have their “secret” handshakes they do, but I don’t know if it is necessarily meant to be a secret. It may just be how they want to greet each other every time they meet up. But people wanting to be the best and superior can be in somebody’s mindset, just not because of a handshake. 

I think of handshakes as just another way of communicating. It’s like a hello to your friend. It doesn’t have to be some intense thing that no one will be able to catch on, but just something more than a high five. It is meant for only you and your friend to do, but it doesn’t have to be a secret. In other words, I don’t think it is to make fun of others and make them not feel included; it is just another way to greet. I don’t think it they have the mind set of trying to be bigger or better than someone else, and you shouldn’t judge off of this one thing that they do. I know many accuse and assume off of other people’s actions, but a simple handshake is nothing. 

I have been playing basketball all my life, and have played with many different teams and people. I have gotten close to some, and some we played on a team with each other and we will only be acquaintances. But for the ones that I became close with, we would have a handshake and perform it before every game. This isn’t to boast to the other team, or show off; it was just to get us ready to play. It wasn’t to say to my other teammates that they weren’t important, but just something fun for us to do. 

Now for me, a handshake and wanting to be superior are two different things. I think many do try to be on top. But I don’t think this comes from a handshake. I think people can get jealous of one another and try to be better to show themselves off. I know some people can start getting close with a friend, and their other friends will get jealous or mad because they don’t seem as important anymore. Then they try to be bigger and better by trying to win their friend back, or by pulling away to seem like the better person. Either way, they will feel like they are on top and the best. So I do think handshakes can express people and who they are, but shouldn’t be judged by it. I think many of us judge too quickly and don’t give others a chance to prove themselves. It’s a natural thing for us to do, but we all need to learn from others actions.

[CE] save the world

Although this video is sad, it gave me inspiration. The girl in this clip, Abagale, did suffer from getting a replacement drug because they ran out of the one that she needed. It gave her bad side effects, which lead her to have to return back to the hospital. She did recover, but she and her mom firmly believe the side effects were because they had to give her the wrong medication. This isn’t just happening to a few people; it is becoming a problem across the United States. There are 178 drugs that are not readily available and it seems like that number will increase as the years go on. And until a solution is found, the problem will continue to occur across the U.S. 

What is the real solution to the problem? I don’t really know if anyone knows the answer to this. But I do know that if we don’t figure it out fast, our world can change dramatically. Our population has been increasing dramatically, and as people start to get older, more problems can occur with their system. This is one way that job opportunities can increase. This doesn’t have to be with medication necessarily either. It can go for teeth, eyes, or even a home care service where you watch over the elderly. I think our economy and health care does affect this, but also what people want to do with their lives. It isn’t just the doctors fault, and I think many people get stuck on this matter. Since we are so over populated, more people are in need for drugs. This is where the problem lies, and doesn’t fix how we can make enough medication for everyone, but it began with us. 

This coming to be, I don’t exactly know what I want to do when I grow up. But I thought I might want to become a pharmacist or something in this field. And after seeing this video, I really want to make a change in the world, and help people with their problems. It seems so nice if I could save a person’s life, and let them live for just a little bit longer. So I am glad that Abagale recovered, and hopefully our world will slowly start to recover from its many problems that have occurred.

[B.C.] keep the tradition alive.

Driving many miles to see where my grandma spent some of her time as a young adult in an internment camp, to flying to the other side of the world, I have learned more about my heritage and who I am. I am a yon-sei, or fourth generation Japanese American. Living in a household where my mother can speak fluent Japanese has grown on me as I continue to grow older, and hopefully one day I will be able to learn the language and more about who I am. 

As a family, we visited Poston, Arizona where my grandma stayed during her time in the internment camp. Many Japanese had to evacuate and leave to internment camps located in different places during World War 2. She could only bring items that she could carry, and lost all other possessions. Imagining being trapped within barbed wire, losing basically everything that I earned, and having to stay in an area that I wasn’t familiar with frightens me. Then putting it into reality and actually visiting where she stayed made it unbelievable. She fought for the Japanese with many others so that I can be who I am today. Figuring out what she had to be put through for me to be here today just makes me want to fight harder to keep the Japanese tradition alive in my family and future. 

Part of keeping the tradition alive to me is staying true to what I believe in. Since I was a baby, I have been a member of the Oakland Buddhist Church. My family has been Buddhist for many generations, and I would like to continue this. Even if I cannot attend all the time, I would still like to follow the rules of Buddhism, and the rituals that it provides. It has taught me that mistakes are okay, and that I have to live and learn. It has taught me to try my best and adapt to changes that come my way. So not only has this made me a better person and understand where I came from, but taught me personal values and has helped me in school and life in general. 

I would like to study abroad in Japan when I go to college. I think this will be a great opportunity for me to learn more about where I am from, while going to college and getting an education. I have always wanted to be able to speak Japanese so hopefully I will be able to take a Japanese class in college also. A lot of my friends are able to speak the language that they came from, which I feel rounds them off of who they really are. I would love to have the chance to do the same. 

As I continue understanding who I am more and more, I have realized that I am proud of being a Japanese American. I want to continue learning more about my culture and be the best that I can. So far it has taught me about working hard, leadership, responsibility and much more. If it wasn’t for my grandma fighting for me I would never have been the person that I am today. So I am grateful that I can fight for who I am and thankful for what has come my way.

[CE] another disaster

“Roke is expected to heap more misery on a country that has been lashed by natural disasters this year.
Earlier this month, Typhoon Talas slammed into central Japan, killing around 100 people in the deadliest storm to hit the country for over 30 years.”

One of my other posts talked about the disaster that happened to Japan that damaged the nuclear power plants located in Fukushima. But I was unaware of the typhoon that was heading toward Japan. This article mentioned that at least four have died, and two missing from this new incident. It is sad to know that a typhoon has hit Japan flooding a large part of it. Workers have been working to control the nuclear plants, and now rain is falling on all of the work that they have done.

Now I know I talked about how disastrous the earthquake was in my other post, but having to see this hit me to realize that Japan is going to have to work harder to recover back from all these disasters that have come their way. It is like getting stabbed twice. No one would ever imagine something like this happening to them, especially when they were recovering fairly well from the incident that happened before. Now many have evacuated from their homes because the flooding is terrible.

I guess to me this is another realization. Workers have built their way up to where they were, a disaster hit, and now they have to start over. For me, it is like my life can start over. No, it’s not exactly the same, but I’ve made mistakes before that I wish I could “destroy” and wish it never happened. In some way or another, Japan will be able to recover from all these disasters and hopefully nothing too major will happen to them for awhile. And for me, it’s a new year, to enjoy and make the best of it. We can all at least try and make the best out of every situation and learn from the mistakes that we have made.

[RE] friendship

“These days, I find it really difficult to find any true friends. In order to have a legit friendship, one of the most important steps is trust.”

I can definitely agree and relate with Kristen and finding friendship. You think someone is your friend, but instead they backstab you, or tell someone else a secret you didn’t want anyone else to know. It’s hard to know when you can trust your “friend” because you don’t know if they are being true to you. So now the question is, when do you really know when you can trust someone?

For me, friends have come and gone. I do have some really close friends, but then I also have friends that say we are best friends when we hardly talk. Being friends with some people for a long time has shown me that I can trust some of them though. Maybe not about my whole life and every detail that happens, but when I need comfort, I know exactly who I can turn to. I think it is important to at least have a good friend to be able to turn to because things can occur in our lives and we sometimes just need someone to snap us out of the moment, or to calm us down and let us know that everything is alright.

I also have been a person to keep everything bottled up inside. I thought that my issues weren’t important to everyone else because everyone has problems in their lives. They have to deal with theirs, so I should deal with my own. But then as time went on, someone convinced me that keeping everything inside was just hurting me more, and making me sad. So I had to find that true friend that would tell me the truth and keep it real with me. All in all, it’s hard to find true friends. You never know who they truly are until you really get to know them, or they hurt you. I guess it’s part of life, but we just have to be careful and protect ourselves first.      

[free] realization

I wasn’t quite sure what to write for my free post this week. This week it felt like the free post was too free. I can write about anything I want to, and so much happens in life, I guess there is just too much to choose from. I’m finally a senior, have settled down in all my classes now, and am starting to get used to not having my sister around. So I guess it’s to say, I’ve been reflecting about the past, and thinking about the future.

Senior year means college applications. It means that this is our last year walking through the orange hallways covered with blue lockers everywhere. It’s our last year to eat lunch with our friends every week and to just see everyone walking by in the hallways. Our chapter is coming to a close now, and we will all have to open a new book soon.

I guess you could say I’m in this phase of “realization”. This is going to be something really big for me because I’m a bigger and better person now. I realized that life goes on, and I just need to learn and move on. Because for me, if I dwell on the past, I will over think things. And since I already do over think things, it will just make matters worse for me. I realized who my true friends are, and who will truly be there for me in a time of need. Life can be amazing if we just live it and try not to control it. We can’t force ourselves to do anything, but sometimes life can get the best of us. We see everyone else being one way, and we want to be like them. But why? We are each unique in our own way, and that is how it should be.

This doesn’t mean that I can all of a sudden forgive and forget. Or can now just let go of the past. But I have realized that change is okay. It’s a part of life, and that I don’t have to be scared of. I’m learning more and more about myself, which will hopefully prepare me for college, and my life beyond that. It’s amazing how much someone can realize and learn about themselves over a short period of time. So I want to continue being who I am, and learning more about myself. I want this to be the best senior year possible, and make memories that I can remember forever.

“The supreme object of life is to live. Few people live. It is true life only to realize one's own perfection, to make one's every dream a reality.” –Anonymous

[free] the little things.

It’s all about the little things. We sometimes overlook the things that make us who we are and what makes up put a smile on our face. From a sport, to school, to friends, to just everyday life, we can all pass by the little things that happen to us. It doesn’t always have to be about appreciating them, but actually makes you realize how lucky we really are.  

Have you ever thought about how wonderful it is to push the button for the elevator and it is already there? Or to get off the airplane after a long flight? These so called little things make us happy and smile even though it only had a very small effect on us. We don’t really think about how nice it is to have all the socks match after they come out of the dryer or how fun it is to pop the bubble wrap when you get a package. We sometimes feel as if life is bringing us down, and we are all going to fall apart, but these things just help remind us that the little things in life are what make us. They make us smile and stop for a moment to enjoy what really just happened. So we should enjoy life, and make the best out of every situation because the smallest things can mean the world. Enjoy the simple moments we have for they only happen so often now a days. Be happy when you get two drinks out of the vending machine even though you paid for one, and when you step outside and smell the fresh air or newly cut grass because these things truly are awesome.

[R.E.] who am i?

It's amazing how people change over 4 quick years. I'm sure I've changed in almost every aspect, no matter how much I want to tell myself that I am the same old Adam. Only recently have I thought that it's okay to change and not retain the same "you". I used to hold this pride in the fact that I could see everyone else change before my eyes, yet in my own biased opinion I was relatively the same.

Change. I used to feel the same way as Adam did about change. I used to think it wasn’t a good thing to change because I never wanted to change. I wanted to be me, and if someone didn’t like me, then they didn’t like me. But now that I have noticed multiple changes in myself, and realized that it’s not about what people think, but how each of us are growing every day.

Over my life time so far, I have lost friends, made friends, fought with close ones, and helped some in need. I have found different interests that I enjoy, and continued to get a deeper passion in the things that I love. I have grown as a person as well, realizing who I am, and adjusting to my life. We need to accept each other for which they are, not how they look or talk. Because even though our personalities may change a little, or our style may alter, we are still the same. As Adam says, we still retain the same “you” just in a better form.

So change isn’t necessarily a bad or good thing. It’s life. We all somehow change with our life time. And it’s not something to hold against someone because we need to learn who we are as a person. In some ways people can change for the worse, but maybe that is them figuring out who they are. You never know what kind of changes people are going to make, so as much as we don’t want to change, and be someone else, we will. And for me, now that I look back, I accept change because it will just be a new chapter of my life. Everyday people question each other about who they are, so we need to live our lives out and accept the changes that are made within ourselves. Because everything changes, and nothing will remain without change.

[C.E.]swept away.

An ordinary day for one person may be a tragic one for another. As we live our lives, we don't think about the people that are suffering around the world, or the ones dying every second. And at times, we can get selfish, and only think of the problems that are happening to us. But we all need to take a step back, and realize at times, some disastrous event can happen, and our lives will change forever. Now this doesn’t mean that we all drop our problems and go rescue someone, but it’s just a wakeup call, to show what is going on around us too.

A few days ago was the 10^th anniversary of 9/11, but it also has been 6 months from when the tsunami hit Japan. The 9.0 earthquake that triggered the massive tsunami 30 minutes later, damaged the community. Many people came back to give a moment of silence to the ones that lost their lives in this tragic incident. As I watched this clip, and listened to moment of silence they gave, it pierced my heart, for their community has been swept away and many can’t return back, because their homes won’t get built again. But, in the past 6 months, many things have changed, and they cleaned up a lot of the mess that was made.

Just because the town may look different, doesn’t mean that people have adapted quite yet. And for this man, the trauma still continues and won’t leave until he finds his wife.  The memories that they shared together in the village where they lived will never be swept away, even though their belongings have. And for this man, he wants to see her one last time, maybe for some closure. But the trauma will still continue and they will all need to stay together through this hardship, like how it was before it ever happened.

Luckily none of my family or friends lived where this occurrence happened. But for the ones that it hit, I really do wish the best for them. It is a sad time, and will be a hard thing to get through for them, for the chemicals are still in the air. But it is not a time to be pessimistic about this, but to be optimistic and know that things will level out eventually. Maybe not soon, but many are lending their hands to help clean up, and sweep away the bad. And for us, we need to be grateful for what we still have, and be mindful of the ones around us. Once in awhile, just take a break and clear your mind. Don’t think about anything, or stress over anything. Just let your mind go, because we can get so caught up with everything that happens that we don’t appreciate life itself. Don’t let anything get in the way of what you want to do. Just because a tragedy happen every day, doesn’t mean we can’t get through them, like how Japan is dealing with their situation they have now. Our problems may seem like nothing compared to this one, but may mean the world to someone else.

[B.C.] college essay...what?

As I ran as fast as I could, all I could hear was, “You can do it Alison.” “Just try your best.” “You will get it next time sweetie.” These phrases are what I heard from the sidelines when I was in first grade. I feel like basketball was a destiny for me. Like it was what I was meant to do. It is supposed to be my life. And ever since I was 6, it is all I have been doing. I have practice either every day, or almost every day. I play in tournaments on the weekends and still need to manage studying some time during the week or on the weekends. Juggling three different basketball teams has been my life and it is something I will never forget. But as each day passes by and I continue to grow as a person and a basketball player, mixed feelings go through my mind about what my future looks like.

The silence is where it all begins. It is peaceful and releases everything that is on my mind as I begin to put my shoes on. As I wipe the dust off my shoes, they begin to squeak as I stutter my feet a couple times. I then pick up my prized possession, my basketball, and listen to the echo that is makes each time I dribble it. As I continue to practice on my own, and use my imagination to drive by my opponent, I take a break. I look around the gym, my home, and realize this is where I have been playing for the past 3 years. This is my house, where we compete at every game that we are given. I go all out every game that comes our way, but is it for the now, or to prepare me for what is going to come later. I think to myself as I continue to work out and push myself to become better. This is my life, and I love doing what I do.

As the days go on and years pass me by, my sister is off to college. She is attending UOP, a private school in Stockton. As I move her in to her dorm, I think about how this will be me next year, and I could be playing for a college basketball team. This makes me wonder what it will be like when I start college and if I play basketball, how busy I will be. I have always compared myself to my sister, partially because i wanted to be just like her. I wanted to be the best student i could, as well as enjoy many differnet extra curriculars. So when all this went through my head, I started having second thoughts about playing the sport I love. Maybe it should just be a dream that won’t come true, and it is what is best for me. But then I think maybe playing will give me a break from school, to just get away and drop all the stress I have for a few hours of basketball. Decisions are what make growing up so difficult.

As I continue to come home by myself to an empty house, I wonder what my future will turn out to be. I do know that basketball has taught me many life lessons that I will cherish forever. It has taught me responsibility, to dedicate my time into basketball and not missing any practices or games. It taught me hard work and determination which also carried on into my school work. There are many more that I can name, but it has definitely made a difference on my life and how I view it. I am a stronger person now, and know that we have to make ourselves better, not get compared with someone else. We need to be true to ourselves and not let anyone else tell us otherwise. And most of all not let any adversity stop you from what your dreams are.

[R.E] happily ever after?

In Kelsey McKeon's post, little princess, she leaves the story untold.

The princess was the outcast; no one talked to her because she just was not a normal teenager. While the princess was moping in the corner about what was supposed to be a spectacular night, she was tapped on the shoulder by....

a royal prince. He had never seen this beautiful girl before and she caught his eye. He asked her what was wrong, and she was so shocked that someone noticed her, that she was speechless. So as the night went on, they started to get to know each other, and danced the night away. He wanted to know where she was from, and wondered why he had never seen this amazing girl before. She then spilled out the story of being locked up and not being able to leave her house. He was astonished by this story, and didn't want to believe it at first. But she didn't mind because she was happy to have a good night with him, and realized that she was actually important to the community. As the night was coming to a close, he asked her if she wanted to stay with him. She nodded her head without a doubt, and they ran out across the field, to live their lives together. And it will be a happily ever after.

Now what they did with their lives after that night, well, its up to you to decide. But the princess did end up having a spectacular night like how she wanted it to be, and ended up meeting the most remarkable guy ever. So it comes to show, that life is unexpected, and we never know what is going to come our way. We can make the worst days better, if we just keep on going, and not let the little things bother us. For the princess encountered a incredible man who would change her life forever. But if it weren't for her sticking to getting out and living the life she would, she would have never met the royal prince at all. So we shouldnt be afraid to take risks, and we should expect the unexpected because one day, something magical with happen to you.

[C.E.] it only takes a day.

"That one bad thing, i witnessed it and it was horrible, but it put me on this other career path and now because of that experinece that i had i go to work everyday and i talk to local emergency managers about how they can plan for their communities. i know why it is im doing what im doing and i know that i wouldnt be in this profession and doing what im doing had 9/11 never happened."

An actor changing his whole career path because of one day. Unbelivable. Andrew Phelps never knew his life was going to change this dramatically until he witnessed the twin towers crashing down before his eyes. He woke up to this and wanted to help save lives so badly that he snuck into ground zero to help clean up. As others asked him if he was an EMT, he could only say he was an actor, and help clean up the damage that was made. But that was a life changing event. He went back to school to train and work for a station in New Mexico and said he would never have done this if it werent for 9/11.

This video was mind blowing to me. Many innocent people died on 9/11, but many people changed for the better to try and help the community out. There are many jobs out in our world that will sacrifice their lives for us. And we all need to take some time to remember this, and thank those for their duty. Also i think people have a different perspective on life after this event. Some appreciate their life more, and some like Phelps, changed their job because of this incident.

This can relate back to our lives as well. Just because we were about 7 years old when this event happened doesnt mean we cant learn from it. Even though some of us may not have been aware of what it was then, we know that it will be the 10th anniversary since it happened. Now what do you think of when you hear the word anniversary? When the word anniversary is said, it seems like a happy time. But this event could have altered some lives forever. So should people mourn on this day, or realize the differences and think of how lucky we are to be here?

Lastly something on this video caught my eye. The title of this video is "How 9/11 changed one man's life forever". But yet it has 15 likes and 20 dislikes. Just because there are wars in other places like Afghanistan and Iraq doesnt necessarly mean that we forget about 9/11. Just a thought to think about. I dont know what we should have done, or what we exactly should be doing right now. But now that we know that it happened and it probably will have an impact on us for at least a big part of our lives, maybe one of us can make a difference, and start something that could change the world forever.

[free] first for everything.

My first blog for everyone to see, and it is kind of...exciting. Some of you had Mr. Sutherland before, and know his teaching style and what he does in class. I know many people wanted to get into his class and would do anything to transfer in, so I am very excited to see what is to come. I think it will be an experience to blog because I’ve never thought of doing something like this before. Now is the experience going to be a good one or a bad one, well, I guess i will find out soon.

So since it is the beginning of the school year, and my first blog, I guess I will start of by saying a little bit about myself. My name is Alison Takagaki, and I am full Japanese. Basketball is my life, and always will be. I’ve been playing ever since i was about 6 years old, and I never tried to play a different sport other than basketball. I am trying to play in college, but whatever happens, happens. This is just a little bit about me, and what i like to do.

Before i end my first blog, i am looking forward to seeing what the year brings and write about current events happening in my life and the world around us. I am also interested in what everyone has to say about what is going on and learn more about all of you. For all the seniors, its the beginning of the end, so let’s live our lives out and enjoy the time we have left with each other. No regrets, just keep living like there is no tomorrow. And there is always a first for everything, and as Lucille Ball said, “I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.”

test.

just a trial...